At what age do you start out? Are they like horses where it's best for their bodies to wait until 3 or 4? Do you use a saddle? What kind of bit, if any? My 6 year old is dying to train out longhorn calfs to ride. There actually seems to be decent money to be made off them for parades, etc. so I'm inclined to try.

surch this site and others for information.

If there were Decent money in it, you be in line, at the bank, behind many of us.

Fun is where you find it.

Enjoy.

What little I rode was bareback.

Here is a link to The Backyard Cow: An introduction to the family cow. Riding steers is Chapter 7. This is an e-book. you may have to copy and past this link into your browser.

https://books.google.com/books?id=73Pb-moJx8IC&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=when+are+cattle+mature+enough+to+ride&source=bl&ots=JRfgi0ytsV&sig=H_IFAoYETCo3UeL2f0p_tSuZinc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=groNVYGAN8jsgwTp2YGwAg&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=when%20are%20cattle%20mature%20enough%20to%20ride&f=false

I have not rode cattle myself but visited with couple guy that did. Both gentleman had made bit that went into there noses like a nose ring would. These bit or nose rings were a straight brass rod with rings at each end for the reins. One ring had a nut welded to it so he could put in or remove the bit from the noses. As for a saddle yes they rode with one, they did not have breast collars or breeching on the saddles. Hope this helps.

The link I posted has a lot of pictures and shows the nose bit Gary Rose describes. They also show breast collars and britchin. Since cattle do not have whithers it is a good idea to use britchen. Most cattle you tend to feel like you are riding downhill.

The one person that I knew of, didn't use a saddle and fashioned a horse bridle with rope for the bit.

Decent money as in several times more than the (non-black, non-angus) buggers would be worth at the stock sale, Ken P. I'm not looking to get rich off it.

There is a riding cattle website and facebook page. You don't necessarily need a bit. Lots of kids who train oxen ride on their steers with just a halter.

You can start training the bovine right away. You don't want to actually sit on it until it is grown enough to support the weight. But you can begin putting sacks on it to get it used to the sensation and work up the weight. Sorry I don't know offhand what the weight limit recommendations are, but I wouldn't sit anyone on a calf under 18 mos. or so old.

A guy down the road a ways has a huge Holstein steer he's had for a long time-I think he must be close to 15 years old now. It's broke to ride, and he even uses it to drag calves to the fire during branding time. There seems to be a peculiar irony in this to me.
I have a picture of the steer tied to a trailer awaiting the 4th of July parade here in our small town in 2012. I have a flip phone and have no clue how to post pix anyway, but will gladly send it to someone with those capabilities, 605-209-8854, if you want to see the picture here on the Porch.